Murder-Nine and Out involves the boxing world, as does, judging from the dust jacket (the book is for sale for $180 on ABE), Death Must Have Laughed. I would put Murder-Nine and Out in the detection school, as I would the two Ebenezer Buckles I read. But “tough” elements crop up, by which I mean elements associated more with thrillers than with the British genteel school of the Crime Queens. I’ve got another Turner, Who Spoke Last?, which seems to be about crooked financiers, but I have not read it yet. Amos Petrie’s Puzzle sounds interesting, but I have not found a copy.

Curt

You’re right. Some of the books that Turner wrote, especially those not as by Hume, are very expensive and hard to find. Wait until you read this from Bill Pronzini, though, who has this to say, plus some show-and-tell afterward:

Steve

Just read your blog piece on David Hume (John V. Turner). So happens I’ve been collecting his work for years, under his own name and his two pseudonyms. Attached is some biographical info, photos, and a sketch from the DJ’s of three of his U.K. mysteries. I can send you some cover scans as well, if you like — Humes, Bradys, and Turners.

The Cardby novels are enjoyable Edgar Wallace type gangster stuff, and comprised his most popular series in England, but for my taste his other two series are better — the Reverend Ebenezer Buckles as by Nicholas Brady and the Amos Petries as by J.V. Turner. These are Golden Age fair-play mysteries with more spice than is usual in the breed.

One of the Reverend Buckle tales, Ebenezer Investigates, for instance, deals with the murder of a pregnant young village woman who had relations with several different men; the subject matter was evidently considered too controversial for its day (1934) for Holt, which published a couple of the other Buckle mysteries, to bring it out here. One of the titles that Holt did publish, Carnival Murder (The Fair Murder in the UK), is a first-rate macabre puzzler set at a village fete at which a small traveling carnival is the main feature.

Two of the Amos Petrie novels are “impossible crime” tales of some ingenuity; the best of them is First Round Murder (Death Must Have Laughed in the UK), which has a boxing background and concerns the baffling murder of a fighter in the midst of a bout.

Best,

Bill

I’ve used one of the cover scans to lead off this blog entry, and I used the back cover sketch of Hume�s face on the previous Hume-Turner post. I�ll post one of the back covers with the biographical info at the bottom of this post � I hope you can make out the print! The rest of the covers I’ve uploaded on a separate page where you can see them more clearly. Go take a look. It�s worth the trip!

[UPDATE] From Bill Pronzini: Attached are three more scans which you might want to include, two Humes and a Turner.

Curt Evans is right about the grotesque elements of The Carnival Murder; grisly might even be a better word.

Most of the other books I have by Turner under his three names are jacketless, unfortunately. One of these is the Turner title Curt mentioned, Amos Petrie’s Puzzle. It’s not as good as the two of the “impossibles,” First Round Murder and The House of Strange Guests, but still enjoyable. Concerns the murder at a country house party of the owner of three West End theatres, after the gent received an anonymous threatening note stating “Millionaires Must Die.” Theatre folk and film stars are among the suspects, and as usual with Turner’s detective novels, there are both bizarre and sexual aspects to the case. Amateur sleuth Petrie is on hand to solve it with the aid of his long-suffering friend, Inspector Ripple of Scotland Yard.

Best,

Bill

>> The covers page has been revamped, with the new scans added. Thanks! –Steve

One Response to “Once Again with J. V. TURNER, a/k/a DAVID HUME.”

I am looking for any information on John V. Turner, specifically if he ever painted. I have two oil originals inherited from my ancestors signed by John V. Turner, and want to know if it is the same guy.